This Year, I Resolve To Buy Separates And Stop Being A Slave To Tights

Something strange happened about a year after I ditched yoga pants and Hanes tees as outerwear for good: I started buying dresses, and only dresses. Hoping, I suppose, that I'd turn into this if I wore enough of them:

But I'm still not Audrey Hepburn. And while I do think that more women should wear dresses more often, and that they make the easiest outfits in the world, this four-year dress habit has left me with a closet full of faded jeans, “going-out” tanks, workout clothes and sweaters. And dresses.

So this year, I’m resolving to seek out separates with the same kinds of qualities that draw me to the dress racks – pieces that are feminine, flattering and pretty. I’m starting with tops, because I already have two pairs of dress pants from a panicked weekend when I looked in my closet and realized I owned zero pairs of dress pants.

I think a baby wardrobe of two tops – one covered up and one less covered up – will suffice to start.

This dip dye blouse ($127, was $225) has that floaty shape that looks great tucked in, and the band of gray along the bottom would break up an all-black outfit nicely. As a contrast, this silk halter ($102) is a bit more revealing, and sans the sweet neck tie – but the same holds for the flattering tuck-in-able shape.

An alternative pair: I think this ruffle blouse ($202) would look great with a gray pencil skirt, or black pants for a slightly dressier look. And this printed patterned halter ($88) goes with absolutely everything, from dress pants to skinny jeans, thanks to the high neck and cute bow in the back.